Guard accessory for catheter

ABSTRACT

A STERILE GUARD ACCESSORY FOR ASSEMBLY OVER THE TIP END OF A RETENTION TYPE CATHETER TO SAFEGUARD THE STERILE CONDITION OF THE CATHETER EXPOSED BEYOND THE URETHRAL ORIFICE. THE ACCESSORY INCLUDES A READILY EXPANDABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE GUARD TUBE ENCLOSING A STACK OF STERILE CUSHIONS AT ITS FORWARD END AND SIZED TO HAVE A SNUG FIT WITH THE CATHETER FOR RETENTION IN ADJUSTED POSITION THEREON WITH THE ADVANCE CUSHION SEATED COMOFRTABLY AGAINST THE   URETHRAL ORIFICE. THE CUSHIONS ARE WEAKENED TO FACILITATE DETACHABLE OF A SOILED CUSHION AND EXPOSURE OF THE NEXT STERILE CUSHION. THE ACCESSORY IS EQUAL EFFECTIVE FOR MEN AND WOMEN.

Sept. 21, 1971 n; ARBLASTER GUARD ACCESSORY FOR CATHETER Filed July 30,1969 INVENTOR D6/V/V/5 A6504 5768 BY @v O- A TTOEMEVS United StatesPatent (315cc 3,606,889 Patented Sept. 21, 1971 3,606,889 GUARDACCESSORY FOR CATHETER Dennis Arblaster, 34081 La Serena, Dana Point,Calif. 92629 Filed July 30, 1969, Ser. No. 846,059 Int. Cl. A61m 25/00US. Cl. 128-349 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sterile guardaccessory for assembly over the tip end of a retention type catheter tosafeguard the sterile condition of the catheter exposed beyond theurethral orifice. The accessory includes a readily expandable andcollapsible guard tube enclosing a stack of sterile cushions at itsforward end and sized to have a snug fit with the catheter for retentionin adjusted position thereon with the advance cushion seated comfortablyagainst the urethral orifice. The cushions are weakened to facilitatedetachment of a soiled cushion and exposure of the next sterile cushion.The accessory is equally effective for men and women.

This invention relates to catheters and more particularly to a sterileguard accessory readily installed over a catheter tip and effective inmaintaining a substantial exposed length of the catheter sterile over aperiod of days.

It frequently happens that a patient has need for a retention typecatheter. However, doctors are hesitant to use this type because ofnumerous hazards. The exposed surface of the catheter is unavoidablysubject to highly unsanitary conditions providing an excellent vehiclefor bacteria to enter the body and cause infection and adding seriouslyto ailments already undergoing treatment. Various attempts and proposalshave been made heretofore in an effort to prolong the sterility ofretention catheters but without notable success. In consequence,patients frequently contract additional infections leading tounnecessary and prolonged hospitalization and increased medical costs.

It is a principal object of this invention to avoid the foregoing andother shortcomings of prior practice and to provide a simple, highlyeffective, sterile guard accessory effective to maintain sterileconditions of a retention catheter throughout its period ofinstallation. The sterile accessory includes a multiplicity of softmedicated cushions held assembled within an impervious supporting tubeand having a friction fit with a catheter rearward of its tip. Thesecushions are usable in succession and fit with the catheter suflicientlyfirmly as to be retained in any adjusted position therealong with theadvance end of a cushion seated against the urethral orifice. Thecushions are weakened to facilitate the removal of a soiled cushion andexposing the next sterile cushion for use. Preferably the cushionenclosing tube projects for a considerable distance rearwardly of thesupply of cushions and encloses collar means useful in positioning theaccessory relative to the urethra. The mid length of this tube isunsupported and free for axial expansion and contraction and its rearend is preferably fitted to a closure plug snugly fitting the catheter.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide aunique sterile guard accessory for a retention catheter.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple,inexpensive, throw away guard accessory insertable over the tip of acatheter for use in maintaining a substantial length of the cathetersterile rearward of the ureter orifice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a catheter sterileguard accessory having a plurality of sterile cushions usabletemporarily and in succession against the urethral orifice and includingan enclosing tube for the cushions and for a substantial additionalrearward length of the catheter.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading thefollowing specification and claims and upon considering in connectiontherewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated;

FIG. 1 is a side view of the retention catheter showing a preferredembodiment of the invention guard accessory telescoped thereover priorto installation;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the catheter in place butprior to forward extension of the guard accessory;

FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged cross sectional view showing the guardaccessory being shifted forward against the urethral orifice; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 44 on FIG.3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a preferred embodiment of theguard accessory, designated generally 10, telescoped over a conventionalcatheter 11. Such catheters are molded from high grade latex rubberhaving a tip end 12 provided with an inlet opening 13 in communicationwith a flow passage 14. The rear end of this passage terminates in anenlarged coupling portion 15 adapted to be assembled over another lengthof tubing or to a suitable container. Extending along the interior ofpassage 14 is a relatively small second passage 18 through which waterpasses to inflate and deflate a thin walled retention balloon 20 formedintegral with the tip end of the catheter. Passage 18 opens into a tube22 provided with any suitable rubber plug 21, or alternatively fittedwith a check valve, useful in inflating balloon 20 to support orifice 13in a proper drainage position and to prevent withdrawal of the catheter.An alternative construction utilizes a water charged bulb 23 forinflation purposes and a spring clip 24 to pinch tube 22 closed andprevent escape of the inflation water from the retention balloon 20until catheterization is completed. After catheterization spring clip 24is detached and discarded.

Guard accessory 10 has a thin tubular housing 30 of impervious material,such as plastic film, and its mid portion may be preformed with shallowcorrugations 31 to facilitate axial expansion and contraction forreasons which will become apparent presently. The rear end of tube 30 isbonded or otherwise suitably secured to a semirigid tubular plug 33having a central bore 34 sized to fit the main body of the cathetersnugly and with a friction fit.

Snugly and frictionally mounted within the forward end of tube 30 is aseries or stack of sterilized soft ring cushions 35 likewise having asnug frictional fit with the catheter tube. It will be understood thatthe number of cushions may vary depending upon the length of time it isintended the catheter will remain in place. This varies from a day ortwo to a week or ten days in the usual case. Desirably there is at leastone cushion 35 for each contemplated 24 hour period of use. Cushions 35may be formed of any suitable soft, resilient, absorbent material andare of substantial thickness. Preferably the inner or rear face of eachcushion includes an impervious coating or film to safeguard against thepassage of fluid or foreign matter beyond the foremost cushion.

The porous cushions are preferably impregnated with a non-dryingointment having anti-bacterial and antifungicidal properties. Forexample the ointment may include a base containing a wide spectrumantibiotic such as tetracycline, chloromycetin, neomycin, neostorin.Suitable anti-fungicidal ingredients include mycostatin, mycolog, anddioforn. It is also important that the ointment be compatible to mucosalikely to be contacted by the ointment.

Preferably each of the cushions 35 is weakened such as by a row ofperforations 37 ('FIG. 4) to facilitate severance and removal of a usedcushion. Desirably, the severance of perforations 37 does not penetratethe impervious layer on the rear face of the cushions.

In contact with the rear end of the stack of cushions 35 is a verysubstantially thicker ring 38 which may be of the same or slightlyfirmer material as cushions 35. This ring serves as a pusher or back upfor the cushions and has the same internal and external dimensions asthe cushions. Rearward of the opening 38 is a collar 39' of elastomericmaterial having a loose sliding fit with the catheter as well as withthe interior of tubular jacket 30. Collar 39 can be, grasped between anattendants thumb and forefinger applied from the exterior side of tube'30 and used to advance ring 38 and the stack of cushions 35 forwardlyalong the catheter. This operation is facilitated by using the thumb andforefinger of the other hand similarly applied against the sides ofclosure plug 33 to steady the catheter while the forward end ofaccessory is being advanced therealong'until the outer face of theforemost cushion 35 rests gently against the outer end of the urethralorifice, a position indicated in FIG. 3 by the dot and dash lines.

In use the guard accessory 10 is first applied over the tip end 12 ofthe catheter as the latter is removed in sterile condition from itsshipping container. Initially, accessory 10 is positioned toward therear end of the catheter body, as is indicated in FIG. 1. The tip isthen inserted into the urethra, patient is catheterized, following whichballoon is inflated. Thereafter, slight tension is applied to the outerend of the catheter to make certain the balloon is seated against theinlet orifice to the urethra. The operator then manipulates collar 39while grasping the rear portion of member 33 and forcibly advances thestack of cushions until the foremost cushion 35 is against the urethralorifice, a position best shown in FIG. 3.

After a period of use, preferably not in excess of 24 hours, the forwardend of accessory 10 is retracted sufficiently to permit detachment ofthe soiled cushion, an operation simplified by the presence of a slit ora row of perforations 37. Collar 39 is then manipulated as describedabove to advance the stack of cushions 35 forwardly within tube untilthe forward cushion is wholly or at least partially dislodged from tube30. Further manipulation of collar 39 is then employed to seat the freshcushion in a comfortable sealing position. The described servicingoperations are performed pen'odically and as necessary until thecathether is removed or until the last of the sterile cushions has beenused, and while using sterile gloves.

While the particular guard accessory for catheters herein shown anddisclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects andproviding the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is understood that itis merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A sterile guard accessory for protecting the sterile portion of acatheter outwardly of the urethral orifice against contamination, saidaccessory comprising an elongated tubular member having a centralpassage sized to have a snug telescopic fit over the advance end of acatheter and to remain in an adjusted position therealong, said tubularmember being enclosed by a thin-walled impervious flexible jacket andincluding a plurality of soft sterile ring cushions enclosed thereby andthe foremost one of which is adapted to seat against the end of theurethral ori-fice and to be retained in this adjusted position by thefrictional fit of said tubular member with the catheter, and said ringcushions being usable in succession to seat against the end of theurethra after the foremost one thereof becomes soiled.

2. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 1 characterized inthat said soft sterile cushions are stacked in close proximity to oneanother adapted for successive use against the urethral orificefollowing removal of the end one thereof after a period of use.

3. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 2 characterized inthat said cushions are weakened along a line extending crosswise thereofto facilitate the detachment thereof after a period of use.

4. A cathether guard accessory as defined in claim 2 characterized inthat said impervious jacket comprises a thin walled tube of imperviousmaterial readily removable in short increments to expose successiveindividual ones of said cushions.

5. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 2 characterized inthat said impervious jacket projects rearwardly beyond said stack ofsoft sterile cushions to enclose a substantial length of the catheter,and tubular plug means secured to the rear end of said jacket and havinga passage sized to have a snug frictional fit with a catheter.

6. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 5 characterized inthat a major portion of the mid-length of said impervious jacket isaxially expandable and contractible to accommodate shifting one end ofsaid accessory along a catheter independently of the other end thereof.

7. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 6 characterized in theprovision of collar means loosely enclosed within said impervious jacketrearward of said stack of cushions and adapted to be grasped between thethumb and forefinger and pressed against the rear end of said stack ofcushions to advance the stack toward the urethral orifice.

8. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 2 characterized inthat said sterile cushions include a barrier resistant to the passage offluid to cushions rearward of the advance cushion.

9. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 2 characterized inthat said sterile cushions are impregnated with a non-drying medicantointment.

10. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 3 characterized inthat said ointment includes an antibiotic.

11. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 9 characterized inthat said ointment includes an antifungicidal agent compatible to mucosain the vicinity thereof in the installed position of said accessory.

12. A catheter guard accessory as defined in claim 2 characterized inthat said cushions include an impervious film on the rear end facesthereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,120,549 12/1914 Schellberg128-349 2,547,758 4/1951 Keeling 128-349 3,046,988 7/1962 Moreau et al.12 8-349X 3,154,080 10 /1964 Rowan et al. 128-349 3,185,151 5/1965Czorny 128-2144 3,444,860 5/ 1969 Harrell 2 128-349 3,487,837 1/ 1970Petersen 128-349 DALTON L. TRULUCK, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 206-63.2

